Teguh: Scenes from a rich life lived in film

By Bruce Emond

JAKARTA (JP): Director Teguh Karya speaks in fits and starts, fragmented sentences dragging on in long pauses in the search for words.

Aging and illness have taken their toll on arguably the most distinguished of the country's older generation of film and theater directors.

"He's had problems with high blood pressure and high blood sugar," said one of his assistants when Teguh wanders out of earshot. "He is maybe not the way you remember him five years ago, especially in his speech, but he is doing fine."

His appearance has changed little over the years. Sipping a glass of tea in the leafy courtyard of his 19th century house in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, Teguh remains a lean, casually dressed figure with a distinctive shock of silvery-gray hair.

The house-cum-studio (he has never married and lives in a smaller home across the street) is a museum of photographs and memorabilia from his career, dating back to the Teater Populer troupe in the 1950s.

Despite his infirmity and the sometimes poignant reminders of friends and colleagues now gone, Teguh does not suggest an archly drawn sketch of pathos out of Tennessee Williams, one of his favorite playwrights.

He seems instead to be taking on the mantle of the grand old man of the now somewhat threadbare Indonesian film industry.

His pithy comments are often precious insights into a body of directorial work -- Cinta Pertama, Ranjang Pengantin, November 1828, Doea Tanda Mata, Di Balik Kelambu and Ibunda -- which rank among the major works of Indonesian cinema. And although he easily forgets newly learned details, Teguh can call up spot-on recollections and names of actors from years ago.

As his gallery of photographs testifies, he has also been both a friend and mentor to some of the leading actors of the last 30 years. His acting ensemble has included Slamet Rahardjo, Alex Komang, the late Tuti Indra Malaon and Christine Hakim.

The latter -- of whom Teguh once said he could "fill a book" with reminiscences -- continues to live up to his motto that acting is a skill and not merely about selling pretty faces.

In the twilight of his career, recognition of Teguh's enormous contribution to Indonesian film history is flowing in.

Last month, in honor of his 64th birthday, a retrospective of his works was held in Jakarta. There was also a discussion on state television network TVRI, with Christine and Slamet among the panelists, about his role in the development of local movies.

Teguh spoke recently about his career and his life today.

Question: There have been a lot of stories about your illness -- how are you doing?

Answer: I'm doing fine, the same as before. I'm doing a few projects, doing some different things.

Q: With all due respect, you seem to have taken on the role of the grand old man of Indonesian film. Ayu Azhari acknowledged in an interview in The Sunday Post that you played an important role in convincing her of the meaning of acting...

A: I really strive with my work and with others to show respect. They know that I do that. I respect them sincerely because I know we can help each other. I always remember that we are not alone in this world.

I worked with Ayu on Ibunda. She's very sweet, a good person. She has a desire to act. She is not difficult to work with and she's very bright.

Q: Five years ago, you told me about one actor in particular (known for his pretty-boy looks, he eventually married a much older woman) who didn't live up to your expectations...

A: You need young actors because of their talent and spirit. I thought he had those qualities. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by him. The outside was different from the inner. He didn't know dedication.

Q: Which is more important in the film world -- talent or desire?

A: I would have to say that, in acting, it is talent. If you are talented, you live in the character, you want to be part of it. When you only have the desire, you can sometimes get caught up in the game of celebrity, in popularity. Many live like that.

For myself, I haven't made enough films because I don't want to be a factory -- the factories are the producers. You must have time to create, and also look for money. Both are important for directors, including for me. I just try to do the best I can with what I have.

Q: You have had a long relationship with Christine Hakim. How did you first meet?

A: Well, I had heard about this girl and we were looking for someone for the movie (Cinta Pertama). Everybody said that she was thin. And I met her and, yes, she was indeed skinny. I thought she would do anyway because an actor doesn't always need to have a great body.

But when we were in the car afterwards, the producer said to me that we couldn't use her, she was too thin and she had no chest. So I turned to him and said: "Are we selling a film or are we selling breasts?". And she made that movie, and we did several more together.

I respect her fully because she has really tried to learn what acting is all about. She is attractive, bright and skilled. I saw Daun Di Atas Bantal before it was finished. Both Garin (Nugroho, the film's director) and Christine are my friends.

Q: There are a lot of complaints about the status of the Indonesian movie industry and the prevalence of sinetron TV series...

A: The thing is that the sinetron are not the problem; it all depends on what you want to do with the medium. They don't really know what they are doing. If they knew, they would make better products.

You know, (Akira) Kurosawa made TV films, and a lot of them are really good, so good I asked for copies of them. It comes back to the issue that it's not the medium but how we use it. Some of them are good, and some are really terrible. It depends on the attitude of the person who makes them, and what they want.

I did a lot of adaptation from Tennessee Williams because I really liked his works. Kawin Lari (Elopement) was inspired by The Glass Menagerie. His characters live the way a lot of Indonesians live, but they don't realize this. They don't know that his works are close to us, that the people he shows are just like us all.

Before I knew Shakespeare, I was afraid of his works, that they would be too high-browed. But when I finally read them, I saw how there were things I could relate to, even as an Indonesian.

Q: What have been the most important influences in your life and career?

A: Family is important. I grew from my family upbringing, not just by myself. You grow from your surroundings, learning from others. What's important is that I like to live.

I live with a lot of friends. What I have was gained from studying my friends, from being around them. We all get to know, to learn from each other.

Friendship is not easily lost. Poor people have wealth in that they have lots of friends who they can be with.

Q: What do you hope for now in your career?

A: I just hope that what I started in theater will be continued by others. Theater introduced me to a lot of issues. That is a good thing.

I guess I am like Tennessee Williams and other artists. I am always looking to do something new, something that others have not done.